Machine for covering elastic filaments



Sept. 13, 1927. 1,642,523

0. B. WEBSTER 4 MACHINE FOR COVERING ELASTIC FILAMENTS Filed .v, '1924 z sheets-sneet 1,

S 1 927 c. B. WEBSTER MACHINE FOR COVERING ELASTIC FILAMENTS Filed Aug. 7, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 sion.

turningout a product at materially higher Patented Sept.- 13,1927

* UNlTED'S TA cHAnL s B.- wEBs'rEE,'or ALI. RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS, nssronon r0 JAMES x.

' LANNING, oErA L RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

, macnnvn FOR covnarna' ELAs'r c' FILAMENTS,

, Application filed August "I,

. This invention relates to the manufacture of elastic thread such asis used inswoven and knitted elastic fabrics, said thread comprising an elastic or distensible filamentof [soft rubber which is coated or covered with one or-more layers of yarn wound in close spirals around the cord to form a protective exterior, while allowing the finished cord or thread to readily stretch under ten= It is'the object of the present invention to provide a yarn-winding mechanlsm adapt: ed to perform this operation'and capable of l6 speeds than heretofore was obtainable with the devices used for that purpose; Generally speaking, the inventlon embraces the combination of a rotary yarn I package properly associated with a traveler ring and its yarn-guiding traveler so disposed as to-wind closely around the elastic 1 filament as the filament is fed axially through the interior of the yarn package and of the traveler ring. F v This and other features of the inventionwill be particularly described in the following specification and will. be defined in the claims hereto annexedi In'theaccompanyingdrawings I have lllustrated a construction and arrangement embodying the principles of this inventlon, inwhich: I Figure'l is a front elevation showing th end ortion of a machine-for thus covering Lane astic filament. I

Figure 2 is an end elevation of one side or half of such. a machine. y In the practice of this invention, according to the specific form illustrated in the- 4 -drawings, l employ a construction somewhat analogous to a spooler or spinning frame comprising vertical standards or upright frames 1, to which is secured a longitudinal horizontal spindle rail 2, in which are mounted any-suitable form of bearing members,.shown conventionally at 2 to r0ta-t abl' support'a hollow or tubularspindle 3 on which ismounted a yarn package preferably in the form of a spool or bobbin 4, on which is wound a copious supply of yarn. Each spindle'is provided with a driving whorl 3 arbund which'passes the quarter-j turn driving band 6! which also passes around the driving drum or cylinder v6 'directl the sp ndles, as shown in Figure 2. The- 1924.- Serial nof'raaeoaf .mountedpn' a rotary shaft 6 in accordance with well-known spinning practice. Another horizontal rail 7, extending longitudinally ofjthe machine and supported by Y the uprights 1,-is provided at intervals with perforations or openings concentric with the axis of rotation with the spindle beneath it, and adjacent to and surroundingthese openings is mounted a traveler ring. 8, of well known construction, on which is placed a traveler or clip 8 throughvwhich the end of yarn from the yarn package 4 is carried before the yarn is attached .to the elastic filathrough the interior of the yarn package and of the traveler ring. I

It will be understood that any desired number of spools and spindles with corresponding traveler rings may be mounted side by side on a frame of this construction,

and that this arrangement, like a spinning frame, may be duplicated on the opposite side of the machine.

Any suitable feeding means for feeding the elastic filament through the yarn pack age and its traveler ring may be employed. In this case a longitudinal rotatable beam 10 carries the requiste number of elastic filaments coiled or wound on it to suppl a filament for each yarn-winding unit. s these beams need not be equal in length to the len th of the winding frame, I provide gui ing means which, in. this case, comprise a longitudinal rod 11 provided with a guiding block 11*, arranged in the transverse planes that intersect the axes of the difier'ent spindles so as to spread the filament-s apart ment indicated at ac -m, which is fed axially i to guide them into position to pass up through theirr espective yarn-carrying spindles so that the filaments may befed axially.

up through each .yarn'packa e without rubbing against the interior of t e yarn carrier. There is also provided a longitudinal guide rod12 with its outermost surface disposed in line beneath the axial centers of recesses formed in the middle portion of the uprights 1, of the frame, and the frictional.

resistance of rotation serves to put the requisite tension upon the beam. This tension may be varied by means of a weighted brake arm 14 pivoted so as to engage the shaft 10 of the rotatable beam, and carrying an adjustable weight 14 whose adjustment along the beam will vary the frictional retardation of the rotating beam.

Elastic filaments are drawn through the winding apparatus by means of a rotated beam or spool 15 provided with a friction clutch 15 engaging a cooperating clutch member-1G, splined on the shaft 17, and normally pressed into frictional engagement by means of a helical spring 18 coiled around the shaft and the hub of the friction driving member 16.

In order to distribute each covered cord laterallyon the beam 1 provide a longitudinal reciprocatory guide rod 24, provided with guide-eyes in the form of pigtails 24 through which the respective cords are passed. The guide rod 24 is reciprocated by any suitable mechanism, and in this case 1 have shown, secured to the end of the shaft 17, a worm 19 which causes the slow rotation oi a crank shaft 21, through its engagement with a worm wheel 20 on said shaft 21. The crank pin 22 ofthe crank 22 is connected with a link 23 which engages a pivot pin 23, carried by the slide rod 24' so as to cause a slight to andit'ro movement of the covered cord longitudinally of the spool.

To keep the elastic cord centered I provide a guide bar 25 with fixed guides 25 arranged coaxially with the rotary spindles and their associated traveler rings, and thus the upward traveling cords are, at all times, guided centrallyof the hollow spindies, while their upper ends are shifted longitudinally to proper wind or coil on the receiving beam.

If it be desired to wind only one layer of yarn on the elastic filament a single horizontal row of the yarn packages with associated traveler rings will sufiiee. Qlten, however, it is desired to wind on one or more additional. layers and in the present instance I have shown two exactly similar winding arrangements with one superim posed to register with the other.

As the second layer is wound on a slightly larger diameter than the first layer, since it must be wound outside of the first layer, I prefer to drive the yarn-carrying spindles of the upper row at a somewhat higher speed than is imparted to the spindles of the lower row.

In the apparatus shown the driving shaft 6 is the shaft forming the support for the lower drum and is itself driven by a conveniently disposed pulley 6 Any suitable means may be employed for transmitting the proper rotative motion to the upper drum shaft 60, and in the present case this is done by means of a sprocket chain 61 passing around sprocket wheel 6' on drive shaft 6*, and sprocket wheel 60 on upper drive shaft 60, the latter being'of somewhat smaller diameter than the former to increase the speed of rotation of the upper drum tic filaments, the driving'bands 6 are given a right hand quarter turn in the one case and a left hand quarter turn in the other case so as to produce this result. It will, of course, be understood that any desired number of aligned yarn carriers and traveler rings will be used, but ordinarily two rows, one superimposed above the other, will be sufficient.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In a machine for covering elastic filament, the combination with a rotary yarncarrier having an axial bore for the passage of an elastic filament, a yarn package mounted concentrically upon said yarn-carrier to be rotated therewith, a traveler ring and traveler mounted above the level of the top of said yarn package and its supporting carrier to leave a free unobstructed path for the yarn passing from the traveler to the elastic filament, frictionally driven means fo feeding saidielastic filament centrally through the yarn carrier, the'yarn packa e and the coaxial traveler ring, and a centra izing guide surrounding the elastic filament above the level of the winding point of the yarn.

t 2. In a machine for winding yarn on an elastic filament, the combination of a rotary supply beam, a rotary winding .beam, frictionally driving means for rotating said w ndlng beam, means for regulating thev irictionally driving means to vary the winding tension on the filament, an axially bored rotary yarn-package carrier concentrically mounted to surround the filament as it passes from one beam to the other, a traveler ring and traveler mounted concentrically with the filament between the yarn package and'the winding-on beam to allow free movement of the yarn passing from the yarn package through the traveler to the filament and a centralizing guide surrounding the filament beyond the winding point of the yarn upon the filament.

3. In a machine for covering elasticthread, the combination of a series of hollow yarn-carrying rotary spindles axially aligned with a corresponding series of traveler rings carrying yarn-engaging travelers, means for feeding a series of elastic filaments axially through said spindles and traveler rings to ermit thewinding of the yarn thereon, sai tionally driven winding beam and guide for maintaining the filaments in axial relationship to the spindles and traveler rings, substantially as described.

4. In a machine for covering elastic means embracing a fricthread, the combination of a series of yamc-arrying hollow spindles, a series of traveler rings and yarn engaged travelers coaxially mounted above said spindles, means for feeding a series of elastic filaments axially through the spindles and traveler rings including a rotatable winding beam, and means for shifting the filaments lengthwise of thewinding beam while still permitting them to travel axially through the spindles and rings, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for covering elastic thread, the combination of a series of hollow rotary yarn carriers, a series of overhead traveler rings with their yarn-controlling travelers adapted to be dragged around by the revolving yarn, means for drawing a' series of elastic filaments axially through relation, plural series of hollow rotary yarncarrying members arranged to' surround said filaments, and a series of revolubleyarnengaging guides arranged to be driven by the revolving yarn passed through them and thereby wind the yarn around the filaments and means for driving one set\ of yarn-carrying members at higher speed than the preceding set to compensate for the increased thickness of the elastic thread, substantially as described.

. 7 In a machine for covering elastic thread, the combination of means for feeding a plurality of elastic filaments from one beam to another, a series of hollow rotary yarn carriers through which the separatefilaments are fed, a series of yarn-revolved travelers arranged to wind the yarn around the respective filaments, and another series of similar rotary yarn carriers and travelers aligned with'the first series and revolved in the reverse direction, substantially as described. i

a In witness whereof, I have subscribed the above specification; I i

CHARLES B. WEBSTER. 

